Effects of Castration, chapt. 7

[JesusA (imported)]

Effects of Castration on Men and Women: Accidental, Voluntary and Involuntary Castration; Eunuchism and History - Medical Treatment and Aspects

VII. THE ACTUAL EFFECTS OF CASTRATION ON BOTH SEXES: The Effects of Castration Before and After Puberty - Cryptorchidism in the Male - Infantilism in the Female

Females castrated before puberty do not develop in body contour as do females not castrated. There is little (often no) growth of mammary gland tissue. In other words, the breasts do not develop but remain mere nipples. Pubic hair may not appear at all and if it does it is always scant. In rare cases there may be remarkable intellectual development. As a rule the female who is castrated before puberty remains a docile creature and manifests infantilism throughout her life.

The male who is castrated before puberty does not develop a deep voice and as has been mentioned his "sweet" soprano voice is often valued for its singing qualities. The beard fails to appear and there is rarely pubic or other body hair. The male who is castrated before puberty rarely develops any degree of aggressiveness. He may develop remarkable intellect, but even so he is invariably devoid of the ability to exercise mature judgement in matters of consequence.

Various textbooks devote chapters to each distinctive factor manifesting in males castrated before and after puberty. In a recent issue of the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Dr. A.P. Cawadias wrote:

"In castration before puberty there is (1) tallness, abnormal length or thickness of the legs, underdevelopment of hair on the face and body, with good development of scalp hair, thinness. Obesity develops much later in some cases from reaction from the pituitary gland. (2) Inability of the male to perform sexual intercourse and lack of sexual craving, defective development of the external genitals, prostate and seminal vesicles. (3) Variable reaction of the mind. Usually a tendency to dwelling within one's self with childish traits and abnormalities due to an inferiority complex. Those castrated before puberty, however, often show normal functions of the mind and a capacity for action and achievement. (4) A lessening of the energy of the body and decreased excretion of male hormones in the urine.

"Those castrated after puberty shoe: (1) No tallness, no excessive size of the legs, usually no underdevelopment of the hair, obesity of special girdle type setting in earlier. (2) Ability to perform the sexual act and sexual craving can be maintained. (3) Reactions of the mind are the same as in those castrated before puberty, but influenced by the personality of the patient and the environment. There is likewise a lessening of body energy and decreased male hormone production."

In general that which applies to the male castrate applies to the female castrate except, of course, references to beard and certain characteristics peculiar to the male. The emotions of the female are invariably more powerfully influenced than the emotions of the male.

In certain diseases of the endocrine glands both male and female may manifest infantilism. Infantilism in the female is made more noticeable because of a greater manifestation of mental symptoms.

Cryptorchidism in the male is a condition in which the testicles fail to descend into the scrotum. Descent sometimes occurs late. In the cryptorchid there is invariably aspermatogenesis. Coitus may be possible but sexual desire is rarely good. General symptoms are quite similar to the symptoms manifest in the male castrated before puberty. The cryptorchid is sterile.

Cryptorchids and physical castrates don't and can't reproduce. Whatever their faults they can't project them directly into heredity. As if in compensation, castrates, physical and mental of both sexes, and notably mental castrates, often become censors and reformers. The compensations of sexual power are not theirs to enjoy - and like religious celibates, they often undertake to legislate a pattern or a set of patterns for sexually normal people. The idea is as incongruous and confusing as it would be for an eighth grade pupil to undertake to direct a professor calculus in reaching correct conclusions.

Sexual frustrates and sexual castrates (especially when the latter are of the mental type) are, to a large extend, on a par, mentally. Actually - in the majority of their actions - they are sincere in thinking themselves right. It is not within their power to realize that their dictates cannot apply, or be applied, to persons of normal sexuality and of normal mentality.

[TiddlyPom (imported)]

I have been interested in castration (both male and female) for a long time although I am not currently castrated nor do I want to be just yet.

There is plenty of information around on male castration but very little on female castration and virtually none of prepubertal female castration.

You have created a very well written and concise description of male and female castration but I would like to know more about prepubertal female castration if possible coupled with a lack of hormone replacement so that I can write a story about it. I am also interested in clitoridectomy for the same reason although there is plenty of information about this.

I have some second hand experience myself as a cousin of mine has Turner Syndrome (http://health.yahoo.com/health/ency/ada ... 9/overview) although I never saw the full effects as she had HRT (of course) at the time that she would have naturally entered puberty.

I also knew a (muslim) girl at primary (elementary) school who was clitoridectomized at age ten when she (and the rest of us) started masturbating *more seriously*.

I had a little discussion (http://www.eunuch.org/vbulletin/showthr ... ght=spayed) on this topic in the forum although more information would be greatly appreciated.